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Playmation Marvel’s Avengers Now Available for Pre-Order

Today, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (DCPI), along with Hasbro, Inc., announced the pre-sale of Playmation Marvel’s Avengers – the groundbreaking new system of toys and wearables that uses smart technology to inspire kids to run around and use their imaginations, as they become the hero or heroine of stories from Marvel’s Avengers. The Playmation Marvel’s Avengers Starter Pack, Smart Figures and Prowler Bot are available to pre-order online at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, GameStop.com, Target.com, ToysRUs.com and Walmart.com, as well as DisneyStore.com and at select Disney Store locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Kids and parents can experience Playmation Marvel’s Avengers for the first time only at participating Disney Store locations beginning July 7, where two- and five-minute training sessions will be available daily. For those who want to take part in an expanded experience, 30-minute Avengers Gear Orientations will be available on Saturdays and Sundays by reservation only. During the 30-minute Avenger Gear Orientation, kids and parents will learn more about the Avenger Gear, follow instructions from JARVIS and interact with other participants to complete missions and adventures. In-store training experiences will be available through October; parents can visit www.disneystore.com/playmation for a list of participating Disney Stores and to reserve a spot for the Avenger Gear Orientation.

“Playmation Marvel’s Avengers puts kids at the center of stories from the Marvel Universe, taking them on active adventures right alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” said Paul Gainer, executive vice president, Disney Retail. “Kids can team up with the Avengers by trying on Repulsor Gear and going on a mission with the help of JARVIS as they take part in exclusive demonstrations at Disney Store.”

The Playmation Marvel’s Avengers Starter Pack includes five connected toys: one piece of Avenger Gear (Repulsor), two Power Activators and two Smart Figures – a Super Hero (Captain America) and a Super Villain (Iron Skull). Additional Smart Figures – such as Iron Man, Black Widow, M.O.D.O.K., Hulkbuster and more – help players unlock new characters and content when placed on the Power Activator and synced with Avenger Gear. The Prowler Bot – a robotic villain – can find and hunt your Avenger Gear with 360 degree movement, while taking on dozens of enemy personas and abilities making game play more challenging.

Playmation Marvel’s Avengers, developed in collaboration with Hasbro, uses familiar technologies including wearables, wireless technology, motion sensors and more, but applies them in ways that are completely new to create a play experience that’s never been possible before. The Repulsor Gear connects with the Power Activators and Smart Figures to take you on a variety of adventures through locations around the Marvel Universe, from the Avengers Lab in New York to the jungles of Wakanda. Playmation is purposely not tethered to an Internet connection so players can run around and explore each adventure from anywhere they want – a bedroom, living room or yard. With multiplayer modes, players can sync their Avenger Gear to tackle missions and combat arenas together, or face-off in competitive play.

Playmation marks a new chapter in the long-term relationship between Disney Consumer Products and Hasbro, and their record of innovation and consumer insights make them the perfect partner to ensure that Playmation is a truly ground-breaking play experience.

Those who pre-order can expect to receive their purchase when Playmation Marvel’s Avengers becomes available at Disney Stores, disneystore.com and mass retailers in the U.S. and Canada beginning October 4. The suggested retail price of the Start Pack is $119.99, Smart Figures are $14.99, and the Prowler Bot is $39.99. The Disney Store and other retailers will be offering special pre-sale promotions beginning July 7; visit retailer websites for more details. The Playmation Marvel’s Avengers Starter Pack, additional Smart Figures, and Prowler Bot are each sold separately. Batteries are not included.

For more information on Playmation Marvel’s Avengers, visit http://www.playmation.com/avengers.

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Disney’s Shanghai Project Will Drive International Resort And Theme Park Operations In Coming Years

Disney’s international resorts and theme park operations have seen slower growth in the past few years. Disney’s international parks and resorts are located in Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Japan.

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Prince Charming Movie Planned at Disney

Disney has been having a lot of success lately with live-action adaptations of some classic fairy tales, many of which the studio famously and previously adapted in animated form.

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Walt Disney’s Desert Party House Now in Disrepair, Foreclosure

This place used to be the guesthouse on Walt Disney’s old estate near Palm Desert, and he’d come here to kick back with his famous friends (the Rat Packers, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart), party, and maybe do a little ziplining (there used to be a zipline in the canyon).

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Travel + Leisure Readers Rank Disney Cruise Line as Top Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line in 2015 World’s Best Awards

Travel + Leisure readers ranked Disney Cruise Line No. 1 on the list of Top Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Lines and the No. 1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line for Families in the 2015 World’s Best Awards reader’s survey.  The World’s Best Awards winners were selected by Travel + Leisure readers who participated in a survey rating cruise ships on the quality of cabins, food, itineraries and excursions — in addition to value.

“This recognition is a tribute to the immersive storytelling and creative entertainment we provide to our guests of all ages, on all of our ships, wherever we sail,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line. “To be named the best of the best by Travel + Leisure readers is an honor and speaks directly to the quality of the vacation experience delivered by our dedicated crew members.”

This is the seventh consecutive year that Travel + Leisure readers voted Disney Cruise Line as the No. 1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line for Families and the second consecutive year they rated Disney Cruise Line as the Top Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line overall.

Since first setting sail in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has established itself as a leader in the cruise industry and continues to provide a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and kids can immerse themselves in worlds of fantasy only Disney can create.

Disney Cruise Line has received more than 100 distinguished awards from the travel industry. These awards have included all aspects of the operation from dining and entertainment, to youth activities and spa facilities.  For additional information on Disney Cruise Line accolades, photos, and videos visit Disney Cruise Line Public Affairs.

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Why Bing Bong is the Greatest Disney•Pixar Character Ever

Unless you were paying particularly close attention to the Inside Out display at your local Target, chances are that when you first saw Bing Bong,….

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Photos: Around Disney’s Animal Kingdom Plus Avatarland Construction Photos

Take a look around Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

LOVE THE VINTAGE SIGNAGE LOOK

Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (3)

Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (4)

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CHILLIN’

Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (9)

AVATARLAND CONSTRUCTIONWalt Disney World Animal Kingdom (10)

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EXPANSION OF SHOP NEAR TREE OF LIFE

Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (12)

Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (13)

Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (14)

 

TREE OF LIFE

Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (15)

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Frosty Treats to Beat the Summer Heat at Walt Disney World Resort

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month throughout July at the Walt Disney World Resort! Nothing tastes better than a delectable frozen treat while exploring the parks during the “Coolest Summer Ever.” With an abundance of food and beverage locations serving ice cream snacks across property, these are a few of the must-try chilled treats at Walt Disney World this summer.

Magic Kingdom

While strolling down Main Street U.S.A., the smell of freshly baked waffle cones wafts through the air. Follow the delicious scent and you will find the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. This is the home of many delectable ice cream delicacies, but one in particular takes the top scoop – the ice cream cookie sandwich. Two freshly baked chocolate chip cookies served with your choice of hand-scooped ice cream in the middle, creating the sweetest sandwich you will ever taste!

The other must-stop shop at Magic Kingdom is Aloha Isle, home of the legendary Dole Whip. This scrumptious soft-serve delight is a refreshing frozen treat blended in pineapple, vanilla or swirled flavors. For the more exotic palettes, try the Pineapple Dole Whip Float with Dole Pineapple Juice, as it will surely make you dole out a smile! Dole Whip also can be found at Pineapple Lanai at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Epcot

Ciao, gelato! Experience the sweet indulgence of Italian gelato at Gelati, the delectable dessert kiosk at the Epcot World Showcase Italy Pavilion. With a variety of tempting gelato flavors and ice cream specialties, the possibilities are endless. One of the fanciful “Gelato Creations” is the Coppa Amicizia, a blend of cookies and cream, strawberry, Fior di Latte (milk-flavored gelato), strawberry sauce, whole strawberries and whipped cream.

Fresh brioche bread and chilled ice cream – two of the world’s most delightful delicacies. L’Artisan des Glaces at Epcot’s France Pavilion combines these two treats into a heavenly combination with its Croque Glacé. Choose any one of this authentic French ice cream shop’s unique flavors, perhaps the coco-white chocolate ice cream, before it is sealed in a warm brioche with rich chocolate or raspberry sauce. This ice cream pastry is inspired by the tastes of Paris and will have guests saying “Bonjour!”

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Still have a passion for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Have no shame because this special Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake at 50’s Prime Time Café will help rekindle that passion for peanut butter and relive those tasty childhood memories. The ingredients are simple – peanut butter and jelly with milk and ice cream – but the flavor is indescribably bold and indulgently satisfying.

What is the last shop seen before and the first thing thought of after falling down an elevator shaft? That would be the delicious treats at Hollywood Scoops, the ice cream kiosk near The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. But not just any ice cream treat will do – Apple Crisp à la Mode is the must-try delight. This cinnamon apple dessert topped with old-fashioned vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and streusel is a perfect way to conclude a haunted stay at The Hollywood Hotel.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

In the heart of Harambe Village is the home of Tamu Tamu Refreshments, where hungry travelers can find unique frozen treats and refreshments for even the wildest of safaris. The most popular treat is the Pineapple Whip Soft-serve with Coconut or Dark Rum, a truly tantalizing tropical treat.

An old-fashioned root beer float is a classic ice cream novelty and a fantastic way to beat the heat. Try one of the soft-serve soda floats from the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck while trekking through Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Downtown Disney

Strike gold with the Gold Rush ice cream sundae at the Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop. It starts with a fresh waffle cone hand-dipped in rich Ghirardelli chocolate, filled with vanilla ice cream, and then covered in homemade hot fudge and peanut butter, whipped cream, chopped almonds, a cherry, and a Ghirardelli SQUARES Milk Chocolate. For those with a taste for milkshakes, the Sea Salt Caramel Banana Quake Shake is also an enticing option at this amazing ice cream haven.

For a photo-worthy, gargantuan treat, nothing tops the Gibsons S’mores Baked Alaska at The BOATHOUSE. This unbelievably sweet and visually breathtaking dessert is made with Häagan-Dazs rocky road ice cream, cascaded in marshmallow, then toasted with pieces of rich dark chocolate surrounding the outside. This is a four-person dessert, so be prepared for a larger-than-life serving.

Ever dreamed of traveling to Italy? Good news – there is no need to venture across the globe to taste the delicious flavors of Florence thanks to the new Vivoli Gelateria in Downtown Disney. This family-run shop was founded in 1932 in Florence, which means the flavors have been mastered to perfection. One of the guest favorites is the Caramello Salato, or salted caramel. Made with fresh, top-quality ingredients, this flavorful treat is adorned with a soft ribbon of caramel flavor, complete with crunchy salted caramel bits. For chocolate enthusiasts, the classic Cioccolato chocolate gelato will certainly satisfy any sweet tooth!

Disney’s Water Parks

Imagine a bright green sand pail and try to keep from smiling. Now picture a bright green sand pail filled to the brim with chocolate and vanilla soft-serve ice cream, waffle cone pieces, cookie pieces, hot fudge, caramel, strawberry sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry. And don’t forget the sprinkles! This sunny snack can be found at Happy Landings Ice Cream at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and at I.C. Expeditions at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

“Everything but the kitchen sink.” Well this massive ice cream treat includes that, too. The Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Beach Club Resort is a one-of-a-kind ice cream challenge with eight scoops of ice cream, every topping in the house, and a whole can of whipped cream. This dessert serves four people with an appetite, so bring family and friends and get those spoons in the air – it’s going to get a little sticky!

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

Mickey Premium Bars are the classic Walt Disney World ice cream novelty treat and can be found at many food and beverage locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort, including many quick service restaurants and snack carts in both the theme parks and resort hotels. Alongside the Mickey Premium Bar is a delicious gluten-free frozen fruit bar so that all guests can enjoy a frozen treat while celebrating the “Coolest Summer Ever.”

Select ice cream treats can be purchased using the Disney Dining Plans. For more information, visit DisneyWorld.com/DisneyDiningPlan.

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Touring Event ‘The Marvel Experience’ Experiences Abrupt Cancellation

“The Marvel Experience”, a traveling, interactive indoor theme park intended to bring the Marvel universe to cities across the country will instead be shutting down early.

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Disney Races Past $3B Global Box Office; Sets Studio Speed Record

In what is becoming a year of record speed to box office mile-markers for many of the majors, Disney has crossed $3B worldwide.

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